Entwined

If you are reading this, chances are you are about to embark on or have ventured onto the roller coaster ride of horse ownership, making a dream come true; but are you ready? Horses, (I will use this term to refer to both horses and ponies) are amazing, intelligent, sentient beings. If you are already a horse addict like me you will understand the overwhelming need to be with an equine companion: you find their smell intoxicating, their touch revitalising and their company fulfilling. All these attributes can inoculate you against the trials and tribulations of horse ownership. However, if you are entering the horse world with the innocence of an equine voyeur or caving in from the incessant pleading of a loved one, the first step in turning the ‘dream’ into reality should be to understand a little about the horse’s world and, just as importantly, how it will affect your own! Preparing for horse ownership is more than a check sheet or an equine shopping list; equine-centric horse ownership is a selflessness like no other. My horses eat before I do, have a much larger shoe budget, and have far more massages and spa experiences than I do, all in return for a laughingly undemanding work contract. However, I love them and my way of life, and I put their welfare first—they are my responsibility and one that I take very seriously. That’s only fair, our relationship was of my choosing, not theirs! It has taken a few decades of learning from some amazing horsemen and horsewomen for me to understand the holistic relationship between the human/equine mind and body, how each facet can work in sync, and how to interpret the environmental effects and their consequences—and all the while learning how each scenario has a domino, knock-on effect. I have chosen to concentrate on a selection of these teachings and have categorised them into six chapters. I will be taking a brief look at both the human and equine mind and body, exploring many of the environmental influences and offering a practical look at the gear and equipment that is needed and why. Preparing for and managing a horse’s needs, making the right choices, can be daunting but awareness is the starting point. This is where the concept of Entwined began.